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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · wound · chip · row · field · jam · stick · racket

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — to eat
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. field — a subject
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com